The workplace role of surveyors is being redefined, and practitioners must upskill beyond traditional land measurement to remain relevant in the future of work.
This was the charge by the Chairman of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors (NIS), Lagos State Branch, Surv. Adedeji Olanrewaju, at the branch’s 2026 Mandatory Continuing Professional Development (MCPD) programme.
The two-day capacity-building event, which was held on Wednesday, October 21, and Thursday, October 22, 2026, at the NIS Lagos State Branch Secretariat, Lagos, was themed “Application of Geospatial Intelligence in Solid Waste Generation and Storage Management.”
Declaring the MCPD open, Olanrewaju said the large turnout at the secretariat demonstrated a commitment to professional excellence, adding that continuous learning is now a workplace survival skill in the built environment sector.
“It is our pleasure to receive you all at our branch secretariat today. Your presence demonstrates commitment to professional excellence and advancement of the surveying profession.
“The 2026 MCPD theme is timely and highly relevant to the challenges facing our society, especially in a rapidly growing megacity like Lagos. As surveyors, our responsibilities extend beyond measuring land and producing survey plans. We possess the knowledge and technical expertise to contribute meaningfully to environmental sustainability, urban planning and public health,” the chairman said.
He explained that new workplace tools are reshaping job functions.
“Through the application of spatial intelligence, including GIS, remote sensing, satellite operations, spatial analytics and emerging digital technologies, we can help to identify waste generation hotspots, suitable waste locations, optimise waste collection routes and support evidence-based decisions,” Olanrewaju said.
He urged professionals to embrace a growth mindset at work.
“I encourage us all to start this programme with open minds. Let us learn and relearn, ask questions, challenge existing practices where necessary and embrace new ideas that can improve our professional capacity. I urge you to relax, listen attentively, be courageous and participate effectively,” he said.
The workforce transition was demonstrated during the technical session facilitated by Jamba-Oda Taofiq Yinka.
Yinka, who trained participants on “Geospatial Intelligence in Solid Waste Management”, said geospatial intelligence “turns location data into decisions” and is now a core workplace competency for surveyors.
Citing the scale of the work ahead, he noted that Nigeria generates at least 32 million tonnes of solid waste annually, a figure projected to reach 107 million tonnes by 2050, while Lagos generates between 13,000 and 15,000 tonnes daily.
For the modern workplace, he said surveyors must be proficient in GIS for mapping, Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) and field surveys for locating bins and routes, and remote sensing for pattern analysis.
The practical training at the secretariat included QGIS interface training, buffering storage locations, creating 200-metre service-area polygons to identify communities without bin coverage, and raster reclassification to produce five-class site suitability maps.
Yinka also proposed a new work model for Lagos waste management. This included replacing the voluntary “residents buy bins” approach with a state-facilitated universal containerisation programme using geolocated, radio-frequency identification (RFID)-tagged smart bins; creating a dedicated Waste Data Unit (WDU) to build in-house geospatial capacity and reduce reliance on external consultants; and converting the Olusosun and Solous landfills into enclosed transfer stations.
The event also featured a special discussion on “Ethics, Conducts and Practice: The Rule and Regulation Perspectives” to strengthen workplace ethics and compliance.
